Maria-Louisa is developing a method to describe the metabolic and genetic state of a body that has experienced burn injuries. Characterizing burns of varying degrees describes the capacity of the body to resist hypercatabolism, and delineates possible pathological pathways that trigger cachexia.

Her research at the CEM began in September 2003 with the study and characterization of the physiological metabolic composition of the rat liver's circulation. This was followed by the subsequent development of a physiologically relevant rat liver perfusion system for the purposes of analyzing the metabolic response of the body to systemic insults or injuries such as burns. The goal of introducing negligible systemic error to the perfusion of the organ allowed not only for an increase in accuracy of measurements obtained, but also an introduction to novel techniques of organ storage and treatment for enhanced transplant possibilities. A third contribution of this competent perfusion system has been toward the assessment of the effects of various drugs on disease processes through observation of alterations in liver metabolism.

To complement the understanding of the metabolic consequences of burn injury on patients, genetic profiling and changes in protein transcription will be examined and correlated with the initial data. Here it may be possible to elucidate the body's capacity to resist hypercatabolism, and identify and reverse the trigger factors that cause cachexia. The implications of understanding the metabolic derangements of this phenomenon may contribute to a significant impact in reducing mortality associated with cancer, burn, gastrointestinal, and cardiac cachexia.